monitoring non critical objects

[benhank]

we are using nagios to troubleshoot an ongoing problem with one of our critical applications.
What we want to do is to have nagios monitor the performance data for workstations and a few printers as well as the app's servers. The problem we are having is that at the end of day, the pc's and printers get shut off, and then nagios reports them as being down in the tactical overview. Is there a way to collect the devices stats, but not have nagios display them as down when shut off?

[mguthrie]

I guess for this I would use a custom check_period for these checks, so that the print checks only run during business hours. The states would remain OK after hours, and then the checks would fire up again in the morning. Would that get you what you need?

[benhank]

I was thinking along the same lines. I just dont know if nagios will still collect performance data during the time when the device is not being monitored as per the custom check cfg. does that make sense?
So can I have nagios collect performance data 24x7 on an object even if it is only being monitored for say 5 hrs?

[lmiltchev]

So can I have nagios collect performance data 24x7 on an object even if it is only being monitored for say 5 hrs?

No. Please, see below:

How Time Periods Work With Host and Service Checks

Host and service definitions have an optional check_period directive that allows you to specify a timeperiod that should be used to restrict when regularly scheduled, active checks of the host or service can be made.

If you do not use the check_period directive to specify a timeperiod, Nagios will be able to schedule active checks of the host or service anytime it needs to. This is essentially a 24x7 monitoring scenario.

Specifying a timeperiod in the check_period directive allows you to restrict the time that Nagios perform regularly scheduled, active checks of the host or service. When Nagios attempts to reschedule a host or service check, it will make sure that the next check falls within a valid time range within the defined timeperiod. If it doesn't, Nagios will adjust the next check time to coincide with the next "valid" time in the specified timeperiod. This means that the host or service may not get checked again for another hour, day, or week, etc.

[mguthrie]

Ah, yeah I wasn't thinking about the perf data. Then you'd probably just want to configure alerting to only be during business hours. But then again, if the printer is turned off, do you get any perf data from the printers during those hours anyway?

[benhank]

thanks guys. mguthrie you are correct, and to that I say "DOH"!
Im gonna try the custom check times and see if that gives em what they are lookin for. you guys can close this.